B-Line Urban Delivery

Transportation and advertising

About B-Line

Founded in Portland, Oregon in April of 2009, B-Line specializes in sustainable delivery services to the urban core. Utilizing a fleet of commercial grade "trike trucks" with a 600-pound cargo carrying capacity, B-Line partners with businesses large and small to handle their downtown and close-in delivery needs and solve the challenges conventional trucks and vans face in the "last mile" of a distribution network.

B-Line’s mission is to make our communities more livable. We became a founding B corporation because we believe that business can be a catalyst for positive change and has a responsibility to the common good. As a certified B corporation, we are held accountable not only to meeting our financial bottom line and growing a profitable business, but to fulfilling this mission and our commitment to sustainability and community.

• As a transportation company, B-Line’s vision is to redefine how goods and services are transported in our increasingly urban environment by simply providing the right tool for the job.

• As an advertising and promotions company, B-Line seeks to combine flexibility with ingenuity.

• As a stakeholder in our community, B-Line is passionate about creating a company that is part of a solution and a partner in living. We seek to enrich the fabric of our cities by reducing congestion and CO2 emissions, developing local, green-collar jobs, and partnering with local manufacturers and small businesses.

• In our first year on the road, B-Line has made over 3000 deliveries, including 200,000 pounds of organic produce, and covered 6000 miles by pedal power that would have otherwise been traveled by fossil-fuel burning vehicles, effectively reducing carbon emissions by over 17,000 lbs.

What makes us a better company?

B Impact Report

Certified since:

February 2010

Summary:

Company Score

Median Score*

Environment

Environment

The Environment section of the Assessment evaluates a company's environmental performance through its facilities; materials, resource, and energy use; and emissions. Where applicable, it also considers a company's transportation/distribution channels and environmental impact of its supply chain. This section also measures whether a company's products or services are designed to solve an environmental issue, including products that aid in the provision of renewable energy, conserve resources, reduce waste, promote land/wildlife conservation, prevent toxic/hazardous substance or pollution, or educate, measure, or consult to solve environmental problems.

29

7

Workers

Workers

The Worker section of the survey assesses the company's relationship with its workforce. This section measures how the company treats its workers through compensation, benefits, training, and ownership opportunities provided to workers. It also focuses on the overall work environment within the company through management/worker communication, job flexibility and corporate culture, and worker health and safety practices.

16

18

Customers

Customers

The Customers section of the Assessment measures the impact a company has on its customers. The section focuses on whether a company sells products or services that promote public benefit, and if those products/services are targeted towards serving underserved populations. Questions in this section will measure whether a company's product or service is designed to solve a social or environmental issue (e.g. improves health, preserves environment or creates economic opportunity to individuals or communities, promotes the arts/sciences, or increases the flow of capital to purpose-driven enterprises).

13

N/A

Community

Community

The Community section of the survey assesses a company's impact on its community. The Community section evaluates a company's supplier relations, diversity, and involvement in the local community. The section also measures the company's practices and policies around community service and charitable giving. In addition, this section includes if a company's product or service is designed to solve a social issue, including access to basic services, health, education, economic opportunity, arts, and increasing the flow of capital to purpose-driven enterprises.

22

17

Governance

Governance

The Governance section of the Assessment evaluates a company's accountability and transparency. The section focuses on the company's mission, stakeholder engagement, and overall transparency of the company's practices and policies.

Company Highlights:

Impact Business Model: Service conserves the environment in that it is powered by renewable or cleaner-burning energy than market alternatives (human power combined with battery-powered electric motor). Service reduces waste (by providing an outlet for hard-to-recycle items and transporting unsellable food to non-profits for donation). Company has a legal entity/governance structure that preserves mission and requires stakeholder consideration (Oregon Benefit Corp). 26 metric tons of CO2 were saved in the past 12 months as a result of use of our service.

Community: 20% of Significant Suppliers have been certified and/or approved by one of following: B Corporation, Green America, SIF, FTF, Transfair, FSC, MSC, Cradle to Cradle, Green-e, or USDA Organic. Over 40% of Significant Suppliers are independent suppliers located in the same community as the B-Line office. Company practices the following charitable practices: cash in-kind donations, volunteer and pro-bono service, allowing workers and/or customers to select charities to receive company’s donations, embedding local food rescue and delivery into daily operations.

Workers: Lowest-paid hourly employees make over 25% more than the local minimum wage.